Category: MIL-OSI

The South African government has expressed its condolences following the passing of former North West Premier Bushy Maape, describing him as a dedicated public servant and respected leader who made a lasting contribution to the province.

In a statement issued by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) on Monday, government said Maape’s passing marked the loss of “a champion for the development of the North West province” who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of communities throughout his career in public service.

Government praised Maape for supporting programmes aimed at strengthening service delivery, promoting economic development and advancing the dignity and wellbeing of residents across the province.

“His leadership was characterised by humility, discipline and a deep understanding of the challenges facing the province,” the GCIS said.

Maape was also recognised for his commitment to ethical leadership and accountable governance. 

Government said he believed in building an inclusive society where public institutions remain responsive to the needs of citizens.

His contribution to provincial governance and his efforts to foster stability and development in the North West province have left behind a meaningful and lasting legacy which will continue to inspire current and future generations of leaders.

“Government extends its sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and the people of the North West Province during this difficult time,” said government. – SAnews.gov.za

The National Dialogue Steering Committee has formally adopted a framework that will guide the rollout phase of the National Dialogue pilot process.

Steering Committee spokesperson Qhamisa Tengile said this follows the adoption of the National Dialogue Roadmap in March, which “laid the strategic foundation for the phased national rollout of the National Dialogue process”.

“The adoption of the Implementation Framework marks an important transition from strategic planning toward structured pilot implementation, as the National Dialogue continues to build the governance, operational and participation architecture required to support a credible, inclusive and citizen-led national process owned by the people of South Africa.

“The adopted Implementation Framework provides a coordinated operational pathway for the pilot phase scheduled to commence in June 2026 and conclude in August 2026. During this phase, the thirty-nine (39) sectors of the National Dialogue will coordinate a total of 195 pilot dialogues, including ward-based, digital, media-based and sectoral dialogues across all nine provinces of South Africa,” Tengile said.

The pilot phase is designed as a deliberate national learning and participation process aimed at:

• Testing methodologies and engagement models;
• Strengthening systems and operational readiness;
• Ensuring broader accessibility and inclusion;
• Integrating existing grassroots and community dialogues, and
• Enabling citizens and communities themselves to shape the future implementation methodology of the National Dialogue.

“The Steering Committee emphasises that the Implementation Framework remains a working operational guide that will continue to evolve through implementation learning processes, sectoral coordination and ongoing institutional refinement.

“In this regard, the National Dialogue seeks to proceed with both urgency and responsibility, recognising the importance of ensuring that the process remains grounded, inclusive, credible and responsive to the lived realities of South Africans.

“The implementation phase is guided by the principle that the National Dialogue must not merely speak about communities, but must create meaningful platforms through which communities are able to speak for themselves, influence national reflection and contribute towards a people’s compact aimed at informing the future growth trajectory of the Republic of South Africa,” she said.

The proposed pilot dialogues are expected to prioritise:

• Balanced participation across provinces, districts, rural communities, urban centres, townships and sector formations;
• Direct community participation and ward-level engagement, targeted at approximately 60% of the rollout;
• Building trust through direct engagement in communities often excluded from national processes;
• Multilingual facilitation approaches;
• Trauma-informed engagement methodologies, and
• Dialogue models capable of navigating South Africa’s social, economic and geographic diversity.

“The Steering Committee further recognises that the success of the National Dialogue depends not only on engagement itself, but also on the strength of the systems supporting implementation, coordination and rapid response capacity,” Tengile added.

She noted that due to the upcoming Local Government Elections scheduled for November this year, the dialogue will take a pause.

“In recognition of the heightened political environment during the election period, and in order to preserve the non-partisan credibility, neutrality and integrity of the National Dialogue process, the Steering Committee has resolved that the Dialogue will enter a pause and reflection period between September and December 2026,” she said.

The spokesperson emphasised that the National Dialogue remains committed to “advancing a shared national vision rooted in accountability, social justice, democratic participation and ethical leadership”.

“The National Dialogue remains fully committed to constitutional values, democratic participation, accountability, dignity and social cohesion. The process further places particular emphasis on ensuring that communities historically excluded from formal policy and decision-making spaces are meaningfully included within the national conversation.

“The Steering Committee therefore calls upon all sectors of society, including communities, civil society organisations, organised labour, business, youth formations, academia, faith-based institutions and broader social partners, to actively participate in shaping a credible, solutions-oriented and citizen-led National Dialogue process for the future of South Africa,” Tengile said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) has launched a series of community outreach activities across the Western Cape as part of its 2026/27 Budget Vote programme.

The activities are aimed at strengthening direct engagement between government and citizens.

The programme, taking place from 18 to 21 May, focuses on community participation, service delivery awareness, and social development initiatives, while also creating platforms for dialogue between government and residents.

According to a statement issued by the GCIS, the outreach campaign forms part of its broader mandate to ensure communities are informed about government programmes and empowered to participate in decision-making processes.

The week-long programme began on Monday with the cleaning of the Langa Massacre Memorial Site in Cape Town, a historic site commemorating the events of 21 March 1960 when anti-apartheid protestors were killed by police during demonstrations that coincided with the Sharpeville Massacre.

The clean-up initiative brought together several stakeholders, including GCIS, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the South African Police Service, Metro Police, the Community Policing Forum, the City of Cape Town, Brand South Africa, and the Media Development and Diversity Agency.

On Tuesday, officials will visit the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children, where essential items such as sanitary pads, face cloths, and toothbrushes will be handed over to support vulnerable women and children.

The outreach programme will continue on Wednesday with the GCIS Budget Vote Speech in Parliament.

The department is expected to outline its communication priorities, national campaigns, and plans for the 2026/27 financial year.

Activities will conclude on Thursday in Ward 87 in Khayelitsha, where community outreach initiatives will include street cleaning, painting of a community service point, and pothole repairs.

GCIS said the outreach programme reflects government’s commitment to active citizen engagement and visible service delivery interventions at community level.

Acting Government Spokesperson Nomonde Mnukwa said the programme seeks to bring government closer to communities while encouraging greater public participation in governance processes.– SAnews.gov.za

Eligible South Africans have been urged to use the available registration opportunities and play an active role in shaping the future of their communities through the 2026 Local Government Elections democratic process.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last month that the elections will take place on 4 November 2026.

Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said at the time that the announcement had provided certainty for planning and should encourage citizens to ensure their voter registration details are up to date.

“The announcement of the election date provides clarity for all role players and certainty of planning for the Electoral Commission as we continue our work to deliver free and fair municipal elections,” Mamabolo said.

The commission urged South Africans who have not yet registered, as well as those who may have changed their residential address, to register in the voting district where they ordinarily live.

To qualify for registration, citizens must be South African citizens, be at least 16 years old — although voting is only permitted from the age of 18 — and possess either a green barcoded ID book, a smartcard ID, or a valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC).

The IEC warned that voters are only permitted to vote at the station where they are registered, making it critical for citizens to verify and update their details ahead of election day.

Citizens can register online through the commission’s Online Voter Registration Portal until the official proclamation of the election date. 

The platform also allows users to update their registration details, confirm their address, locate voting stations, and apply for special votes.

Voter registration can also be completed in person at local IEC offices during office hours, at voting stations during national registration weekends, during targeted communication and registration drives, and at civic and democracy education events.

The commission has advised citizens to contact their local IEC office before visiting to make an appointment for registration.

A national voter registration weekend has been scheduled for 20 and 21 June 2026, during which citizens will be able to register and update their information at voting stations nationwide.

The IEC said voters should update their registration details if they have moved to a new address, have incomplete address information, received a new ID number, or if ward or voting district boundaries have changed.

South Africans can check their voter registration status through the IEC website, by SMSing their ID number to 32810, via the IEC WhatsApp chatbot, through the mobile app, or by calling the commission’s toll-free call centre on 0800 11 8000 during designated periods.

While the President has announced the intended election date, the official legal proclamation will still be made by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa. 

Once proclaimed, the national voters’ roll will formally close. – SAnews.gov.za

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is planning to re-enroll the extortion and money laundering case against well-known taxi boss Johannes Sibanyoni and others in the Kwaggafontein Magistrates Court in Mpumalanga.

This after the matter was struck off the roll after the prosecutor failed to appear in court.

“While this is disappointing, it is not a setback, as we are within our right and authority to reinstate the case once there is compliance with the legal provisions governing matters removed from the court roll in this manner.

“There is no room for impunity, as we remain resolute in our constitutional obligation to hold those accused of criminality accountable,” NPA Head Advocate Andy Mothibi said.

The prosecutorial body explained that it would be instituting disciplinary proceedings against the prosecutor who was found in contempt of court due to the non-arrival.

“On [Monday], the said prosecutor failed to arrive in court for the continuation of the bail application, and that resulted in the matter being struck off the court roll and a warrant of arrest was authorised against him. The implications of this turn of events mean that it can only be reinstated upon a written authorisation by the Director of Public Prosecutions: Mpumalanga Division.

“[The] prosecutor will be suspended pending the institution of appropriate disciplinary action.

“While the Magistrate is within his or her prerogative to invoke the relevant section of the Criminal Procedure Act, we will reflect on the order and determine if it is the best legally available mechanism to deal with the matter,” the NPA said.

The public has been urged to “exercise patience while we deal with the matter internally through appropriate disciplinary action and externally with the South African Police Service”. – SAnews.gov.za

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi will this week travel to India to participate in the BRICS Justice Ministers’ Meeting.

The meeting kicks off today under the theme: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.

“The meeting will focus on strengthening cooperation in the field of Law and Justice within the BRICS framework, reflecting the shared commitment of member countries in strengthening the rule of law, enhancing access to justice, and fostering stable and predictable legal environments that support economic growth and development.

“The discussions will explore priority areas that include combating transnational crime, addressing the misuse of information and communication technologies in criminal activities, strengthening mechanisms for dispute resolution, enhancing mutual legal assistance, and promoting the digitisation of justice delivery systems to improve efficiency, accessibility, and transparency,” the department said in a statement.

The country will use the opportunity to call for closer cooperation between countries against “transnational organised crime, cybercrime, corruption, trafficking and the misuse of information and communication technologies for nefarious and criminal purposes”.

“The Minister is confident that the discussions in this upcoming meeting will yield tangible and implementable outcomes that will enhance cooperation in the field of law and justice amongst BRICS countries,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za